Source of Light
by Joon
Summary: The odd phenomenon of two fireflies in urban Chicago brings back a vivid memory for Bob. TVverse.


I know next to nothing about fireflies and where they normally reside. And I have no idea if such creatures existed when Hrothbert of Bainbridge was still alive, but for the sake of this story, let's just pretend yes.

* * *

As odd sightings went, seeing fireflies in the middle of Chicago wasn't too high on the Strange Scale for Bob. Granted, "strange" for the necromancer was all relative considering he had the pleasure of watching Harry's cat nearly get eaten by a Yan Demon just last week. Still, despite it scoring low on bizarre, the ghost found himself staring transfixed at the twin spots of pale green light as they hovered just outside of the storefront's window.

Chicago was apparently having a heat wave. Or so Harry informed him. While he hadn't been able to sense the shift in weather, Bob had gathered as much from observing the wizard sporting only single layers and tee shirts.

"I'm melting just looking at you," Harry had stated, eyeing the ghost in his usual three layer attire of a dark velvet suit, vest and ascot. There was some sort of pithy, innuendo-laced reply to be had there, but the ghost had refrained from it and had instead mockingly proposed to walk through Harry to help lower his body temperature.

When he saw Harry actually contemplating the offer with genuine seriousness, he realized just how horrendous the heat was getting to be. And the necromancer wasn't entirely sure if he felt relieved or jealous at not being able to experience the weather with everyone else.

The rise in temperature in the city brought out all the oddities the urban landscape had to offer. Mostly in the form of people who let the heat jack up their inappropriate behavior. Harry had also bitterly complained about seeing way more of his neighbor than he'd ever wanted.

"Guy can't wear a towel when sitting in front of his freezer?" the wizard had demanded.

But the unusual warmth also brought out wildlife, normally seen in the safety of areas that grew real grass. And in this case, fireflies. The necromancer couldn't recall if he had seen this particular kind of insect since dying. Until his tenure with Harry, he'd rarely spent that much time outside of his skull when he wasn't being called upon to perform a task. This minimized his chances at seeing anything in the way of nature's creatures, even if his first two owners lived in virtually the untamed wilderness.

Bob watched the twin green lights dance lightly against the window pane of Harry's front door, nearly tracing the 'z' in "Wizard." Observing their movements, the ghost suddenly recalled the last time he'd seen insects similar that generated such light from within their bodies. Centuries had gone by since that day. And yet, staring at the two fireflies, the ghost could recall the memory with such rare clarity that he had no question that it was a true recollection and not one born of his wandering mind.

* * *

He was a young boy. Just turned nine years of age and still painfully feeling like an infant next to his older brother, who was the impressive age of eleven. It was Hrothbert's last night before he would be sent away to begin his apprenticeship as a sorcerer. Although summer had already come to a close there was an odd lingering of heat in the air that mirrored his own life at this moment. While he could not put it into words just yet, Hrothbert felt that a definite part of his life was ending. And while he was eager to grow older and push forward into adulthood, a part of him kept turning around to look over his shoulder at what he would be leaving behind.

Sensing his mood, his older brother suggested a walk to the fields that lay just beyond their home. Not surprisingly, the walk became a run that became a race which Hrothbert was pleased to note his brother did NOT let him win out of sympathy. By the time they reached their destination, both boys were sweating profusely from the sprint, not a single breeze to bring them any sort of relief. Panting in the stifling heat, Hrothbert raised himself up from the hunched position he'd been in while trying to catch his breath to see a swarm of fireflies dancing over their heads. The collective pale green light shimmered as individual members shifted and floated down a little lower toward them.

He saw his brother reach up and cup his hands around three of the flitting bodies. The older boy gently held them, cracking his hands apart just enough so that one could see a little light flickering out. Mimicking the movement, Hrothbert closed his fingers over two of the passing fireflies. He could feel their delicate legs skate across his skin and even though they were such small things, he could feel the energy and life pulsating through them. When he opened his fingers all the way, the illuminated insects casually drifted away.

"When you come home next solstice, you will be able to make light using just your fingers," said his brother with a grin. "You will be a proper sorcerer."

"My apprenticeship lasts longer than a year," Hrothbert replied a little more defensively than he'd intended. He silently watched the tiny light sources flutter above him. "It is not going to be that different in a year's time, will it?" he asked.

"Are you still going to be this thick next year too?" asked his brother, giving him a friendly shove. "Of course things will be different. And things will be the same."

"That makes no sense," said Hrothbert.

The older boy sighed. "You will be older, so you will be different," he stated with exaggerated patience. "But I will still be older than you. So I will still be able to beat you at running back to the house."

At the teasing, the smaller boy felt the need to protest for honor's sake. "No, you will no-"

Before he had a chance to finish, his brother was off, bolting back from where they came. Suppressing down an urge to shout after him about this being completely unfair, Hrothbert took off after him. And even as the sweat made his clothing stick to his skin and clumps of dark hair flopped wetly against his brow, Hrothbert grinned nonetheless. He forgot for a moment that tomorrow at this time, he would be far from his home, away from the people he'd known and loved all his life. All he needed to do right now was reach his house before his brother.

So he ran.

* * *

Bob's eyes followed the two fireflies as they finally drifted away from their exploration of Harry's 'z.' Soon their tiny forms were lost amongst the visual noise of the city. But even as they disappeared, the memory they brought the ghost remained. He could feel the soft ground against his feet as he'd dashed after his older brother. He felt the heat rise in his cheeks as his heart pounded against his chest from the exertion.

And standing in Harry's storefront, Bob raised a pale hand and rubbed it across his brow, as if to swipe at some phantom perspiration, doing so with a slight smile on his face.

THE END


End file.
